HO&P BLOG

In December 2016, the insurance company Lemonade announced that it had set a world record for the time it took to resolve an insurance claim – three seconds. Lemonade said that it was able to review, approve, and send payment for the claim – which involved a stolen parka – thanks to the company’s claims-processing bot, known as “A.I. Jim.” This chatbot is able to receive claims information from Lemonade’s smartphone app, review it against the insured individual’s policy, and run algorithms designed to detect fraud, enabling “A.I. Jim” to resolve many insurance claims in just a few moments. Read the full article…

Shares of Johnson & Johnson stock fell recently on reports that talcum powder lawsuits filed against the company could reveal damaging information about the health risks associated with these products. Johnson & Johnson is currently facing thousands of lawsuits filed across the company over the alleged link between the use of talcum powder and an increased cancer risk. Read the full article…

Over the last 20 years, automakers in Europe have increased their production of diesel-powered vehicles as a way to deliver high performance while satisfying emissions regulations. However, a recent string of emissions scandals involving diesel vehicles and plunging sales of these cars has led many automakers to reconsider their support for diesel technology. Read the full article…

The widow of musician Glenn Frey, founder of The Eagles rock group, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Mount Sinai Hospital over allegations of medical malpractice that allegedly caused his death. Frey died from complications of rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis, and pneumonia at Mount Sinai in January 2016. Read the full article…

German automaker Volkswagen has come under fire over allegations that it sponsored tests that exposed humans and monkeys to diesel exhaust fumes. Exposure to diesel car exhaust has been linked to a number of serious conditions, including asthma, lung disease, and heart attacks. Read the full article…

The law firm of Heygood, Orr & Pearson has filed a lawsuit against automaker Fiat Chrysler, parts supplier Bosch, and engine manufacturer VM Motori over allegations of emissions cheating on 2014-2016 Dodge RAM and Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel trucks. The lawsuit accuses the three companies of racketeering, mail and wire fraud, deceptive trade practices, and violations of Texas consumer protection laws in connection with the sale of the affected Dodge RAM and Jeep Grand Cherokee models. Read the full article…

The Food and Drug Administration is requiring the manufacturers of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to issue a warning about the potential safety hazards of these products. According to the FDA, when GBCAs are used during an MRI, gadolinium can remain in a patient’s body – including the brain – for months or even years after the scan. Read the full article…

The Ford Motor Co. and Robert Bosch GMbH are facing a class action lawsuit over allegations of emissions cheating on select Ford F-250 and F-350 diesel models. The lawsuit – filed in Michigan federal court – alleges that at least 500,000 Ford Super Duty diesel trucks were equipped by Ford and Bosch with a software defeat devices that was designed to conceal the high emissions levels of these vehicles. Read the full article…

A surge in overdose deaths caused by fentanyl and other opioid painkillers has caused life expectancies in the United States to fall for two years in a row, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency says that it was the first time that life expectancy in the U.S. has declined two years in a row for more than a generation. Read the full article…